Psalm 40:5-10

Annunciation - Years A, B, C


Stories begin in the middle of things (in medias res). In the middle of wondrous deeds we can look back and see that ritual sacrifices fall far short of being an adequate response.


In the middle of steadfast love we can look ahead by responding with our life, not someone else’s.

Here we are, in the middle of a story gone on for generations before us and promised for generations to come.

In the middle of my story, G*D’s story, and our story, it is a joy to reveal blessing following blessing.

Blessings have been present all along, even if dimmed by preoccupation with one construct or another. This is another day for them to be announced.

This is a good day to start a new habit of your heart.

 

  1. Actually go outside

  2. Turn to the West and give thanks for the blessings of yesterday on which the sun set

  3. Turn to the North and wait to hear of blessings being unthawed for today

  4. Turn to the East and announce a blessing you intend to have become real

  5. Turn to the South to receive energy to follow your intention with action

  6. Proceed

 

[Note: In the southern hemisphere the directions would be ordered West, South, East, North.]

As found in Wrestling Year A: Connecting Sunday Readings with Lived Experience

 


 

Creation’s birthday is another time to celebrate a covenant service. While doing so it is also important to keep alert to the temptation to idolize our relationship with G*D where G*D cannot be aspired to, only obeyed, and we are entirely at G*D’s behest.

The Wesleyan Covenant Service includes sentiments such as:

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.

While finding this to be personally meaningful in a non-attached way, in its prescribed form there is no wrestling through to an agreed upon meaning, there is only signing on. As long as this is a relational document revealing steadfast love, it continues to bear some fruit. When it becomes a control mechanism to not step outside some currently perceived “plan” or “G*D’s will”, our sense of beloved community goes askew and we settle for hierarchy instead of partnership.

To see what this looked like to generations before us go to:
http://wesley.nnu.edu/fileadmin/imported_site/Wesley_Covenant-1781.pdf

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2014/03/psalm-405-10.html